We're pleased to announce that on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 we will be planting a Vimy Oak tree in commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The tree was made available through the Vimy Oaks Legacy Project with the cooperation of Landscape NB/PEI. The Vimy Oak Trees were grown from scions cut from oak trees grown from acorns gathered on the Vimy Battlefield by Lieutenant Leslie H. Miller in 1917. The planting will take place during the Anglophone East School District Heritage Fair.

After the Battle at Vimy Ridge was won, many soldiers realized that they had been part of something truly great. Lieutenant Leslie H. Miller, born in 1889 in Milliken, ON, looked around for a souvenir on the Ridge, which was completely devoid of structures or vegetation due to shell fire but he did find a half buried oak tree. He gathered up a handful of acorns.

Those acorns were subsequently planted by him on his farm which he called ‘Vimy Oaks Farm’ and are now large majestic oaks. The First World War wiped out all but one native oak in the Vimy region, and the Vimy Oaks Legacy Project was created to repatriate the native oaks to Vimy Ridge to create a living memorial to honour the memory of all those who fought, connecting modern Canada and modern France, and reaffirming our comradeship with France and her people.

Arborist collecting scions.

In January 2015, the process began with professional arborists taking cuttings (scions) from the crowns of the oaks which were grafted onto base root stock – Quercus robur. Today, the trees are almost 5 feet tall and are ready for their journey back to France and to various places across Canada.

Landscape NB & PEI was able to obtain 40 trees out of a stock of 200 from the foundation and brought them to New Brunswick to be shared across the two provinces. In April, they sent out a request for appropriate locations to plant them and were overwhelmed with requests.

When asked about the Vimy Oaks Legacy project, Executive Director of Landscape NB&PEI, Jim Landry said, “Last June I had the opportunity to visit the grave of my great uncle and his best friend who were both killed at the battle. Also, I have worked my entire life in the horticulture industry. This project links those two things together so beautifully. “.

A Vimy Oak at the Nursery

Stuart Liptay, President of the Albert County Historical Society says, “We were fortunate that Brunswick Limestone out of Hillsborough, NB contacted us about the potential for getting one of the Vimy Oaks through Landscape NB&PEI, as we had no idea some were even available. I immediately called Jim Landry at Landscape NB&PEI and asked him for a tree. Once Jim heard the story about our Vimy Ridge gun he was really excited about the prospect.” Liptay went on to say,” The museum is in the process of restoring a gun that was captured at Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917. The gun was captured by the 27th Battalion at Vimy Ridge and was awarded to Albert County in the 1919 Victory Loans Competition. The addition of a living oak tree descended from the great oak trees at Vimy Ridge is an amazing addition to the story of our Vimy Gun.”

The oak tree is going to be planted across from an English Oak which was planted in 1939 to commemorate the Royal Visit of King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth when they toured across Canada by train. The two oak trees, one from England and one with roots at Canada’s great battle in France are a great symbol of unity for our country in its 150th year.

The planting ceremony will take place at the Albert County Museum on Wednesday, May 10 at 3pm just before the awards ceremony for the Anglophone East School District Regional Heritage Fair. Viewing of the Heritage Fair projects begins at 2pm and is open to the public. The Heritage Fair highlights projects developed by middle school students around historical and heritage related themes.

Come join us LIVE tomorrow April 9, 2017 on Facebook as we walk through the capture of our Vimy Ridge Gun at 12 Noon. We will discuss the capture and how the gun arrived in Hopewell Cape, and the amazing story behind it. The Hopewell Cape Vimy Ridge Victory Cannon is one amazing story, don't miss it!

In case you missed the news last night, CTV News did a great piece on the large K14 Cannon which was captured at Vimy Ridge. The cannon has sat in the square in Hopewell Cape since March 4, 1920! Here is the VIdeo link http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1073720

The large 10.5 Cm K14 German Cannon was captured at Vimy Ridge, April 9, 1917, and was won by the Citizens of Albert County during the Victory Loans Campaign of 1919 for raising the greatest percentage of monies over their set goal. They raised $347,600.00 tripling their goal of $110,000.00. Pretty impressive for a county of only 8700 people!

We have recently uncovered what maybe the earliest photo of the First World War Trophy Cannons located in Hopewell Cape. This cannon was captured at the Battle of Vimy Ridge - April 9, 1917 by Canadian Forces. On April 11, 1917 this cannon was turned on the enemy by the Royal Field Artillery. In the fall of 1919 this cannon was awarded to the people of Albert County for raising the highest percentage of money over their set goal for any area in the province during the Victory Loans Campaign of 1919. Their set goal was $110,000.00, and the people of Albert County raised $347,600.00. Three times the goal! (In today's dollars that is equivalent to $6.2 million. Not bad for a population of 8700 people!) The cannon arrived in Hopewell Cape on March 4, 1920 by train to Cape Station, and then by horse to Cape Square.

In the photo is Sheriff Ernest W. Lynds, and you can prominently see the plaque on the top left of the cannon stating how the cannon arrived in Albert County.

It was 99 years ago today, (April 9, 1917) that the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) fought the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It was the first time the Canadian Corps fought together as a single unit and achieved the first Allied Victory of the War. It was also the day the 27th Battalion captured the K14 10.5cm Cannon (s/n 590) that sits in Hopewell Cape Square. The people of Albert County won the cannon in the 1919 Victory Loans Competition for raising the greatest percentage over their target anywhere in New Brunswick. The County raised three times their goal of $110,000.00 with a realized sum of $347,600.00 (6.92 million in today's dollars).

The capture of the K14 cannon is a story legends are made of, fighting in the third wave of the attack, the men of the 27th Battalion stormed the enemy lines, while Bandsman Paddy Smith played the regimental march on his piccolo. In the words of the company commander, "The battalion charged the last 50 yards with a cheer and leaped into the gun pits, where the gunners put up a stout fight. Our line lead by Captain Lane seized the guns, put out of action those of the crew who resisted and took the remainder prisoners, and prevented the guns from being dismantled." What a story of courage and sacrifice, it sends shivers down my spine every time I read it.

Two days later on the 11th, these guns were turned on the enemy under direction of officers from the Canadian 6th ARTILLERY Brigade, and sent back several thousand rounds captured with them. So not only did our cannon fight for the enemy, the Canadians turned the cannon back on them and returned the favour. It's amazing, that the cannon which sits in Hopewell Cape not only fought against our troops, but then fought with them. What a story!

That's not all though, through the detailed notes of the 27th Battalion, we can pinpoint on a map the exact location where the cannon was on the battlefield. Which we can view on Google maps, what was 99 years ago a battlefield, is now happily, a family's backyard complete with a swing set and slide.

So today while we pause and remember the sacrifices of the Canadians 99 years ago, it's fitting to give an update on our own campaign to restore their captured trophy. The Victory Cannon Campaign has raised over $10000.00 to date of a goal of $15000.00, we are on the last stretch of our campaign. So please donate. CLICK TO DONATE

The cannon wheels of the K14 are in the process of being restored, our Wheelwright Mike Hartigan is currently working on them. What is left to do on the project, is to complete the restoration of the cement pads the cannons sit on. Then to give the cannons a good primer coat and paint them in their original camouflage markings. Then we need to develop a fitting way to tell their exciting story. The Museum is researching ways to best tell the cannons' story; from their capture on Vimy Ridge, to their being turned and firing back on the enemy, and then being won by Albert County in the 1919 Victory Loans Campaign.

Our Wheelwright has been busy over the winter months working on the set of wheels for the large cannon that Albert County won in the Victory Loans Competition of 1919. The K14 105mm was captured by Canadians at the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917, and was awarded to Albert County in 1919 for raising the greatest percentage over their set goal of $110,000.00 anywhere in the province. Albert County raised a total of $347,600.00, tripling their goal and this was with a population just shy of 9000 people. To bring this into perspective in today's dollars this would be $6.2 million!

In case you haven't heard, the Gregg Centre from UNB along with the Provincial Archives is putting on a presentation called Sharing Our History, New Brunswickers and the World Wars this Saturday, March 19 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm at Resurgo Place in Moncton. Bring your artefacts - letters, diaries, photos - for show and tell and learn more about how your history fits within the greater New Brunswick and Canadian story!

The New Brunswick connection to the First World War cannon captured at Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917 and now found in Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, just got better. Recent research completed on the German 105 mm K14 cannon, shows that the damage on the barrel of the cannon was probably caused by shells fired by the 4th or 6th New Brunswick Siege Batteries .

The exact location where the K14 was captured on Vimy Ridge is well documented in the war diaries of the 27th Winnipeg Battalion. In fact the diaries give the exact coordinates where the cannon was captured, and when checked against fire mission records for both NB batteries it was discovered that both New Brunswick Batteries fired heavy concentrations of 8 inch high explosive shells on those very German gun positions. Thus it is very possible that the fire that cut the gouge in the barrel was inflicted by New Brunswick's not nearly famous enough Heavy Artillery!

Those NB Siege Batteries were formed in Saint John and included many men from Albert County, including Cyrus Gaskin (d. April 11, 1917). Gaskin is commemorated in the museum's First World War Roll of Honour, and was killed with the 4th Siege Battery not long after Vimy Ridge was captured as the heavies moved forward to help defend it.

The 4th and 6th New Brunswick Siege Batteries are perpetuated by the modern 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (The Loyal Company) in Saint John and Woodstock.

The large German First World War 105 mm K14 Cannon that sits in the square in Hopewell Cape, was captured at Vimy Ridge, April 9, 1917, and won by the Citizens of Albert County during the Victory Loans Campaign of 1919 for raising the greatest percentage of monies over their set goal. The people of Albert County raised $347,000.00 tripling their goal of $110,000.00. That is a pretty impressive resume for a gun.

This information was provided to us thanks to a joint research project between The Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick and 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (The Loyal Company). The complete findings of this research project will be published in 2016 as a book tentatively titled “Loyal Gunners: A History of 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (The Loyal Company and New Brunswick’s Artillery, 1893-2012.” Once it is published we’ll do a Blog on it. 

If you were driving through Hopewell Cape this Thursday, you would have seen the sparks flying around the large German First World War Cannon as repairs were made to its metal work. The almost 100 years sitting in the square in Hopewell Cape were not the kindest to the large cannon, with considerable rust and corrosion around the base of the cannon where it rests on the concrete pillar.

Thankfully we have local expertise to take care of that, Todd Steeves of TP Downey & Sons (Hillsborough) was able to come to the museum and make the necessary repairs without having to move the cannon. It is fantastic that we were able to find someone local with the skills and equipment necessary to do the job right so that it lasts another 100 years.

Todd replaced the center brace and carriage bolts, the 2 brackets above center brace, and fixed the holes on side of cannon facing the road. When asked how the work went, Todd said, "The metal is a bit soft but with proper paint the metal should last another hundred years."

The large 10.5 Cm K14 German Cannon was captured at Vimy Ridge, April 9, 1917, and was won by the Citizens of Albert County during the Victory Loans Campaign of 1919 for raising the greatest percentage of monies over their set goal. They raised $347,000.00 tripling their goal of $110,000.00. Pretty impressive for a county of less than 10000 people!

It was 98 years ago today, (April 9, 1917) that the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) fought the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It was the first time the Canadian Corp fought together as a single unit and achieved the first Allied Victory of the War. It was also the day the 27th Battalion captured the K14 10.5cm Cannon that sits in Hopewell Cape Square, which the people of Albert County won in the 1919 Victory Loans Competition for raising the greatest percentage over their target anywhere in New Brunswick. The County raised almost 3 times their goal of $110,000.00 with a realized sum of $317,000.00 (6.92 million in today's dollars).

So today while we pause and remember the sacrifices of the Canadians on that day almost 100 years ago, it's fitting to give an update on our own campaign to restore their captured trophy. The Victory Cannon Campaign has raised $4704.40 to date of a goal of $15000.00, we are within arms reach of 1/3 of our goal. So please donate. CLICK TO DONATE

The cannon wheels are in the process of being restored, our Wheelwright Mike Hartigan has been kind enough to send some photos of his progress.

Old spokes on new oak blanks, this is where we set the pattern for all the other spokes. One of the hubs and some felloe sockets are in the background.

Roughing out a spoke on the bandsaw removing excess wood.

Marking out the rough cuts for the cheeks on the hub end of the spoke.

Rough cut spokes laid out in front of their intended new home.

Practice spoke blank mounted on the lathe.

Rough turned spoke ready for finishing. Each of the 24 required spokes will be individually shaped by hand using a spoke shave.

How many times have you heard the adage "Location, Location Location - Location is Everything!" well in terms of Real Estate it couldn't be truer, but it's also true in the telling of history. Take for example the captured German 10.5cm K14 Cannon located in the square in Hopewell Cape, not only do we know what battle it was captured in, and who captured it, but we know the exact location on the battlefield where it was captured, and can visit that location today via the web.

We have to thank the men of the 27th Battalion for keeping such detailed records of their accomplishments on that snowy day in April almost 100 years ago. From their Battalion diaries, in the Intelligence Summary we see the cannon with the serial number 590 was captured at B8.a6.7.1/2 on the Thelus N.E. 1/10000 map. (The map is shown in the photo gallery). Once we find the spot on the map, we can then correlate it to a modern map via Google Earth, and can almost pinpoint it's location today.

If we look at the large map we can see the road still has the same curve, the forest is still there on the right, and the left. The basic flora and topography of the map in 1917 is the same today. Then we zoom in to road level we can see that where a tool of mass destruction stood in 1917, a child's playground now stands. It's amazing that we know so much about an event that happened almost 100 years ago.